As may be realized by those possessing an ordinary skill in the pertinent arts, there is a desire to deliver information to segmented portions of the population, such as for advertising. For example, if a company has developed a new product it may be beneficial to deliver news about the existence of the product to individuals who may need or want to use such a product. Throughout history, mechanisms have been developed to transmit such information to the desired segment of the population, such as consumers. For example, print media provides a large scale delivery mechanism, radio provides a geographically localized medium, television provides an audio and visual medium with a possibly global reach, and the internet provides a mechanism with global reach. Of these mechanisms, radio may provide the best delivery mechanism to population segments who may be otherwise distracted, such as by providing an opportunity to reach a consumer when the consumer is driving a car and sitting in traffic on a freeway, such as while commuting to or from work.
Generally, mass media may thus be categorized based upon, for example, coverage, content, presence, maintenance, adaptability prominence, viewer control, and cost. Each of these categories may be weighted in determining the best way to advertise or transmit particular information to the proper population segment, and each category may be manipulated once a delivery mechanism is selected. In accordance with this weighting and subsequent manipulation, coverage defines the area the medium reaches, content refers to the amount and nature of the information conveyed, presence refers to the accessibility of the information, maintenance refers to an assessment of keeping the message available over time, adaptability refers to the quality based on how easy changes to the information may occur, prominence refers to how successfully the information may be delivered or displayed to particular segments, viewer or listener control refers to an assessment of content and timing of information transmission, and cost is the price associated with production and transmission of the information.
When seeking to distribute information to consumers, distribution methodologies are obviously limited to those that are technologically feasible. As such, the introduction of new methodologies of delivering information, generally, are welcomed additions and are utilized to provide information to consumers. However, the development of new methodologies has historically necessitated that entire delivery systems be overhauled to accommodate the new delivery mechanisms.
As is known to those possessing an ordinary skill in the pertinent arts, the FM broadcast band consists of that portion of the radio frequency spectrum between 88 MHz and 108 MHz. It is divided into 100 channels of 200 kHz each. The television broadcast band consists of that portion of the radio frequency spectrum between 54 MHz and 806 MHz. The television broadcast is typically divided into 68 channels of 6 MHz each, with some gaps existing between channels. The AM broadcast band consists of that portion of the radio frequency spectrum between 535 to 1705 kHz. The AM broadcast band consists of 117 carrier frequencies assigned in 10 kHz steps. While these broadcast regions are representative samples, there are other regions of the radio frequency spectrum designated for other spectral transmissions, such as cell phones, cordless phones, Short Message Service (SMS), satellite, and baby monitors, for example.
In addition, many population segments are spending a greater amount of time outside of the home, such as in vehicles commuting to work. As urban sprawl causes population expansions and individuals move farther from the place of work or school, individuals spend more time commuting. As such, the increased time away from home, and particularly in a vehicle, provides an increased opportunity to deliver information to desired population segments. Many states are looking or beginning to ban the use of cell phones while driving, which may further limit the resources one may use while in a vehicle and thereby provide increased delivery opportunities for non-banned delivery methods.
A need therefore exists for an apparatus, system, and method whereby information may be delivered and/or displayed from one or more of a plurality of sources to a user/consumer, to thereby achieve greater connectivity to resources and information, and to thereby provide improved marketing and increased connectivity.